REDUCING GLASS AND ACRYLIC TO FRAME SIZE
Like matboard and foamboard, glass and acrylic can be quickly and accurately sized with a squaring arm. The measuring feature of the squaring arm is particularly pertinent when cutting glass or acrylic because, unlike matboard and foamboard, it is difficult to mark the surface of glass or acrylic, and since the use of a squaring arm eliminates the need for marking, the procedure is greatly simplified. Logan makes the Model 704 Glass Cutter which adapts to the Model 750 Simplex Plus Mat Cutter, the Model 450 Intermediate Mat Cutter and the Model 301-S Compact Mat Cutter.
Before attempting to cut glass on your Model 750 Simplex Plus Mat Cutter, cut a piece of scrap matboard just wide enough to cover the bed. Cutting glass involves the deposit of glass dust and particles; the piece of scrap matboard prevents these from getting into the slots and channels of your mat cutter. In addition, it is advisable to wear white cotton gloves when cutting and handling glass.
To cut glass, remove the mat guide of your mat cutter, lift the guide rail and place the glass on the cutting bed. Place the bottom edge of the glass firmly against the squaring arm and move the right edge to the right until it aligns with the size you want. Lower the guide rail.
Place the Model 704 Glass Cutter on the guide rail just outside the top edge of the glass. Bring the cutter into position so the cutting wheel is resting against the edge of the glass. Squirt a small bead of glass cutting fluid along the proposed line of the cut. Exert slight downward pressure on the cutter and pull back, scoring the surface of the glass. Unlike cutting matboard or foamboard, where you cut through the material in one pass, cutting glass is a matter of scoring and snapping. After scoring, remove the glass from the cutter and bring it to the edge of a table or counter top. Align the score along the edge and press down, snapping the glass cleanly along the score.
Acrylic is the proper term for what many people refer to as Plexiglas, which is a brand name. Cutting acrylic is similar to cutting glass except that it requires 2-3 scores before the acrylic is ready to be snapped. The Logan plastic cutter can be used for this purpose. The plastic cutter will not adapt to the guide rail of your mat cutter, but it can be used against the guide rail, allowing you to use the squaring arm for measuring and squaring.